Online booking for Sabarimala temple darshan begins from Oct. 15

The police will open online booking from October 15 for availing the Virtual Queue system for darshan at the Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala during the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrim season. Photo: Leju Kamal.

The police will open online booking from October 15 for availing the Virtual Queue system for darshan at the Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala during the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrim season that begins on November 16.

Online registration and the Virtual Queue system are part of a new crowd management system introduced by the police two years ago at Sabarimala where as many as Kerala’s population congregate during the two-month-long season.

Pilgrims may avail the facility by registering their name on the Kerala Police website, Sabarimala.kerala police.gov.in.

As per the system, devotees can choose the date of their convenience for undertaking the pilgrimage. They can directly reach the Valiya Nadapanthal and enter the common queue, bypassing the general queue and the barricades, as per the time and date allotted to them in the coupon generated at the time of online booking.

Pilgrims will have to collect their entry card from the Virtual Queue verification counters at Pampa, by producing the coupon and their photo identity card, before entering the traditional trekking path, police sources said.

This system by registering online by the piligrims will save time and money. The Police can control the piligrims and allow in the prescribed times as fixed in the online. This will reduce the crowd who approaches the temple premises unauthorisedly. But we have to think about the common man and who has no education. Such persons should be helped when they approach the police authorities and provide adequate information in visiting the Sabarimala temple.